Lie Detection

It is useful to be able to detect when someone is lying to you. It may be a student lying to the instructor, a "master" lying to students, a so called "black belt" telling about his glorious past, or an instructor lying to potential students. It may also be a person who approaches you on the street or a person who comes to your door.

Many people who lie give themselves away by their body language. This is not always the case, but it does apply to most people. Habitual liars or people with no conscience are so used to lying that they begin to believe themselves, so they may not display the gestures of a lair. However, people with some sense of integrity will unconsciously express guilt with their body movements when they lie. It is similar to the statue of the three wise monkeys who "Speak no evil," "See no evil," or "Hear no evil." Children exaggerate the movements, but as they get older, the movements become more refined, more subtle, and less obvious, but they still occur.